Seiichi Ishida (Badminton)

A craftsman who devotes himself to "behind the scenes" with dedicated support

President Minaro was acquainted with the tennis specialty store where the president worked before becoming independent. I was a student at the time, and after graduating I worked part-time at a software company. However, in 1993, with the opening of the "naro" badminton shop, he was approached by President Minaro and unexpectedly became a staff member of naro.

If I was told to keep stringing, I would be able to keep stringing forever. Anyway, Ishida says, "I like being behind the scenes." In 2018, he joined the World Badminton Championships held in Nanjing, China, as an official stringer of Yonex, in recognition of his dedication to supporting many athletes over the years. “Being able to string at an international competition overseas is the first step towards my dream,” he says. With the Tokyo Olympics coming up in 2020, further success is expected.

Not all players can win, but Ishida puts his heart into every player's desire to "win" anytime, anywhere. We will continue to aim for stringing after communication. With the goal of becoming a stringer nominated by athletes, I will continue to work faithfully.

[Text: Sports writer Yoko Yagi (from Waseda University softball tennis club) Photo: Hideto Ide]